Vietnam & Cambodia Self-Launched: Hanoi to Siem Reap in 11 Days
11 days · Vietnam & Cambodia
Go Asia Travel charges £1,085
No-markup version: ~£678 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of the classic Hanoi–Halong Bay–Ho Chi Minh City–Mekong–Phnom Penh–Siem Reap route. You'll book your own budget guesthouses and hostels, sleep on a mid-range Halong Bay boat, take the Reunification Express and local coaches and cross the land border into Cambodia by bus. Every guided excursion is replaceable with a cheap group day tour bookable via GetYourGuide/Klook or directly with local operators in Hanoi, HCMC and Siem Reap — and you can do Angkor independently with a tuk-tuk driver and a $37 pass. Costs are approximate, per person, sharing a twin/double or dorm, excluding international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Hanoi
Hanoi, Vietnam
Fly into Noi Bai (HAN). Skip the private car and take the Airport Bus 86 (about 45,000 VND / £1.50) or a Grab to the Old Quarter (roughly 250,000-350,000 VND / £8-12). Check into a hostel or budget hotel in the Old Quarter, then do your own orientation walk around Hoan Kiem Lake and the 36 Streets. Grab a bia hoi and bun cha for dinner. Book your Halong Bay overnight cruise tonight for the next day (many agencies on Ma May / Hang Bac streets sell next-day trips, or pre-book on Klook/GetYourGuide).
🚌Airport Bus 86 or Grab from Noi Bai to Old Quarter (~£2-10)
🛏Old Quarter hostel or 3* budget hotel (dorm £6-10, private double £15-25)
- →Self-guided Old Quarter walk
- →Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple
- →Street food dinner (bun cha, bia hoi)
- →Book Halong Bay cruise for tomorrow
Halong Bay overnight cruise
Halong Bay / Lan Ha Bay
Most budget-to-mid Halong overnight cruises include shuttle bus from Hanoi, all meals, kayaking and a sunset party — exactly the itinerary the tour sells. Book a 1-night, 3-star boat via Klook or a Hanoi agency for roughly £100-130 per person (twin share), which covers bus, guide, meals, kayaking, squid fishing and cabin. Boats depart around 8am and return the following midday. Choose a Lan Ha Bay route if you want fewer crowds.
🚌Shuttle bus Hanoi to Halong pier and back (included in cruise)
🛏Overnight on a 3* Halong/Lan Ha Bay cruise boat (included in cruise price)
- →Cruise among limestone karsts
- →Kayaking
- →Sunset party on deck
- →Squid fishing in the evening
Back to Hanoi
Hanoi, Vietnam
Sunrise on the sundeck, breakfast, then cruise back to the pier and shuttle to Hanoi arriving mid-afternoon. Free evening: try egg coffee at Cafe Giang, catch a water puppet show at Thang Long theatre (£4-5), or wander the night market if it's a weekend. Book tomorrow's flight to Ho Chi Minh City tonight (VietJet/Bamboo/Vietnam Airlines one-way typically £35-60).
🚌Shuttle bus from Halong to Hanoi (included)
🛏Old Quarter hostel or budget hotel
- →Sunrise on the bay
- →Egg coffee
- →Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre (optional, ~£4)
- →Evening Old Quarter wander
Fly Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Instead of a private airport transfer, take a Grab to Noi Bai (£7-9) and fly to Tan Son Nhat. From the airport, Grab or the Bus 109/152 into District 1 costs £1-4. Settle into a hostel or budget hotel in District 1 or the backpacker area of Pham Ngu Lao. Afternoon: walk to Ben Thanh Market, the War Remnants Museum (£1.50) and the Notre Dame Cathedral / Central Post Office. Book your Mekong Delta day trip and Cu Chi tour for the next two days.
🚌Grab to Hanoi airport + one-way flight to HCMC + Grab/bus into the city (~£50)
🛏District 1 hostel or budget hotel (dorm £6-9, private double £15-22)
- →Ben Thanh Market
- →War Remnants Museum
- →Central Post Office and Notre Dame Cathedral
- →Book Mekong and Cu Chi day trips
Mekong Delta day trip (My Tho & Ben Tre)
My Tho / Ben Tre, Vietnam
The operator's Mekong day trip is a standard shared-coach product you can book on Klook or GetYourGuide for £20-30. It covers the bus to My Tho, Vinh Trang Pagoda, a boat along the Mekong past fish farms and floating houses, Ben Tre coconut island, a village walk, honey tea and tropical fruit tasting, a traditional music performance, coconut candy workshop and lunch. Pickup is from your District 1 hotel around 8am and you're back by 5-6pm.
🚌Shared minibus and boats (included in day trip)
🛏District 1 hostel or budget hotel
- →Vinh Trang Pagoda
- →Mekong boat trip and Ben Tre island
- →Honey tea and fruit tasting
- →Traditional music performance and coconut candy workshop
Cu Chi Tunnels
Cu Chi, Vietnam
Book a shared half-day Cu Chi Tunnels tour (about £15-22) or DIY it: Bus 13 from Ben Thanh to Cu Chi town then a motorbike taxi, which costs under £3 but takes longer and skips the guide. The shared tour includes hotel pickup, the 60km drive, an English-speaking guide and entry. Back in HCMC by mid-afternoon — use the time for the Bitexco rooftop, a banh mi crawl or the Reunification Palace.
🚌Shared minibus to Cu Chi and back (included in tour)
🛏District 1 hostel or budget hotel
- →Cu Chi Tunnels guided tour
- →Banh mi and coffee crawl in District 1
- →Reunification Palace (optional)
Bus HCMC to Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
The operator uses a direct bus and it's easy to book yourself: Giant Ibis or Mekong Express runs HCMC to Phnom Penh in around 6 hours for £10-15, with hotel pickup in District 1 and drop-off in central Phnom Penh. Take the morning departure. Border crossing is handled by the bus company. Check into a guesthouse near Sisowath Quay or Street 172, then walk the riverside and the Royal Palace exterior at sunset. Get a Cambodian e-visa in advance (~£25) or pay $30 on arrival.
🚌Giant Ibis/Mekong Express bus HCMC to Phnom Penh (~£12)
🛏Guesthouse near Riverside, Phnom Penh (£8-15)
- →Riverside walk
- →Royal Palace exterior
- →Evening at a local Khmer restaurant
Phnom Penh: Killing Fields & Russian Market
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Tuk-tuk out to Choeung Ek Killing Fields (about $12-15 return for the tuk-tuk, $6 entry including audio guide) and on to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum ($5) — the operator's tour covers Choeung Ek; Tuol Sleng is an essential addition. A shared half-day tour via GetYourGuide costs about £15-20 if you'd rather have a guide. Afternoon at Psar Toul Tom Pong (Russian Market) — bargaining is expected. Book tomorrow's bus to Siem Reap.
🚌Tuk-tuk to Choeung Ek and back (~£10)
🛏Guesthouse near Riverside, Phnom Penh
- →Choeung Ek Killing Fields with audio guide
- →Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum
- →Russian Market (Psar Toul Tom Pong)
Bus Phnom Penh to Siem Reap
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Giant Ibis, Virak Buntham or Mekong Express run Phnom Penh to Siem Reap in 6-7 hours for £10-15; book online or via your guesthouse. Arrive early evening and check into a guesthouse around Wat Bo or Sok San Road (£8-15), a 15-minute walk or $2 tuk-tuk from the Old Market. Sort your Angkor pass tonight: 1-day pass is $37, 3-day is $62. Hire a tuk-tuk driver for the temples tomorrow (~$20-25 for a full day, or $18 for the small circuit) — agree the price and route in advance.
🚌Giant Ibis bus Phnom Penh to Siem Reap (~£12)
🛏Guesthouse in Siem Reap (£8-15)
- →Old Market and Pub Street in the evening
- →Buy Angkor pass online (angkorpass.com)
- →Agree a tuk-tuk driver for tomorrow
Angkor Archaeological Park
Siem Reap, Cambodia
A full day by tuk-tuk covering everything the guided tour does: Angkor Thom South Gate, Bayon with its face towers, Baphuon, Phimean Akas, the Terrace of the Elephants and Leper King, then Ta Prohm wrapped in jungle roots, and Angkor Wat in the afternoon before heading to Phnom Bakheng for sunset (go early — it's capped at 300 people). Your tuk-tuk driver acts as your local logistics expert; local guides are available at the gate for $25-35 if you want narration. Start at 5am for sunrise at Angkor Wat if you're keen.
🚌Private tuk-tuk for the day (~£18-22) + Angkor 1-day pass ($37 / ~£29)
🛏Guesthouse in Siem Reap
- →Angkor Thom and Bayon
- →Baphuon and Elephant Terrace
- →Ta Prohm
- →Angkor Wat
- →Sunset at Phnom Bakheng
Depart Siem Reap
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Breakfast and a final wander through the Old Market for souvenirs. Airport is 6km from town: a tuk-tuk is about $5-7 (£4-6), or arrange a shared shuttle through your guesthouse. Grab does not operate in Siem Reap, so pre-book with your guesthouse the night before.
🚌Tuk-tuk to Siem Reap International Airport (~£5)
🛏—
- →Last-minute Old Market shopping
- →Departure
Self-launched vs. Go Asia Travel
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Go Asia Travel | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£678 | £1,085 |
| Duration | 11 days | 11 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £407 per person (38%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Go Asia Travel-style trips? Check them out here.~£678
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Vietnam & Cambodia Self-Launched: Hanoi to Siem Reap in 11 Days cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £678 per person for 11 days in Vietnam & Cambodia. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Go Asia Travel?+
Yes — Go Asia Travel charges around £1,085 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £678 — a saving of roughly £407 (38%) per person.
How long is the Vietnam & Cambodia trip?+
This itinerary runs 11 days, covering 11 day-by-day stops through Vietnam & Cambodia.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, adventure, foodie trip through Vietnam & Cambodia, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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